On Wednesday 23 May 2018, the Bulgarian Presidency presented the Conclusions on mainstreaming cultural heritage in other EU policy fields will be adopted by the Council of Ministers. The objective of the conclusion is to bring cultural heritage to the fore across EU policy fields.

The Council Conclusion invites the member states and the Commission to “bring cultural heritage to the fore in relevant EU policies and promote awareness among stakeholders of the mutual benefits of its mainstreaming into other sectoral policies as well as about the financing opportunities for cultural heritage”.

The Commission is also invited to take the direct and indirect impact on the enhancement, conservation and safeguarding of Europe's cultural heritage when planning, implementing and evaluating EU policies.

The European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 is stated as an opportunity to build a shared and comprehensive strategic vision for cultural heritage. The initiative presents a stepping stone for incorporating cultural heritage across policy fields within the EU. Further the Council Conclusion clearly states the importance of a shared cultural identity considering the recent social and economic challenges encountered by the European Union.